Fire is an unwanted guest at any place it visits. Nevertheless, it still occurs occasionally, either by accident or through human contributions. Most of the primary causes of fire, however, circulate negligence and lack of proper precaution or care. There are several lessons life teaches you in the hardest way, and the fire is among the top ones.
It is advisable to take precautions rather than wallow in self-pity and regrets after a fire tragedy. Fire experts tell us to have several basics to guard against fires. One of these items includes a fire extinguisher. However, this is not enough, as there are other essentials to have. We did our research well and came up with the following ten tips to help you through fire safety and protection.
1. Ensure you have functioning smoke detectors and alarms
According to statistics, smoke alarms save many lives. This is evident as smoke spreads faster than the fire. Therefore, before the fire gets out of hand, you can come up with a remedy for the situation. It would be best to install them around the house or office for faster detection of fire. If you have one already installed, you need to check the batteries regularly to ensure that they do not run out.
Smoke detectors reduce your chances of dying in a fire-infested building by up to two times. This means that you are safer with one than without.
2. Install fire extinguishers
This might seem so obvious, but many people tend to ignore it. Having a fire extinguisher is a basic rule of any building if fighting fires is your priority. Besides, fire extinguishers help salvage and reduce damage to property before the professional firefighters arrive. In some cases, the fire is not even massive and, a fire extinguisher can help you level it down immediately without any help from professionals. Whether at home or in an office setting, a fire extinguisher is vital.
3. Formulate a fire escape plan
Creating an evacuation plan is imperative. In the melee of a fire tragedy, there tends to be a lot of confusion amongst people. Then, it is not the right time to give people instructions, as nobody seems to follow.
Take time and come up with an escape plan beforehand. This way, you can even take people through a drill that will help them get out of the building in case of a real fire tragedy. This plan should entail a fire assembly point. An assembly point is relevant for taking counts of who is present or missing amidst the muddle.
4. Take care while cooking
Majority of fire accidents at home start from the kitchen. It makes perfect sense, as this is the central place where most of the heating appliances stand. Mostly, accidents take place in the kitchen due to human error. Be extra careful, always, while cooking or operating in the kitchen. Never leave the gas knob on, as a single strike of a matchstick is a tragedy in waiting. Gas cylinders are ticking time bombs, which you need to regulate and observe at all times.
5. Be careful with cigarettes
The best prevention mechanism is to avoid cigarettes altogether when inside a building. If this is too hard to follow, then be very careful while using them inside the house. Have you ever wondered why many places prohibit smoking? Well, you can argue that it is due to health concern to others, but the main reason is due to the risk of fires.
6. Avoid incense and candles
Although a significant part of some people's traditions, incense, and candles pose a dangerous risk to a building in terms of fire. Any slip and that is a tragedy before your eyes. Luckily, there are brilliant alternatives, which include battery candles and diffusers that even last longer than the conventional variants.
7. Turn off electrical appliances when away
When you are leaving the house or office, it is better to turn off all of your electrical appliances. Anything can happen while you are away and give you unexpected losses.
8. Keep matchsticks and lighters out of your kids’ reach
Children, especially the younger ones, do not have sufficient wisdom to distinguish safe from dangerous. Therefore, it is up to you (the adult) to make sure that your kids do not touch dangerous items like lighters and matches.
9. Avoid clothing near heating equipment
This primarily refers to clothing in the kitchen. Avoid any aprons or any other type of apparel near fire equipment. Besides, it would be best if you left your ties out of the kitchen as they can be entangled with heating equipment and lead to a fire incident.
10. Teach your children or staff about fire safety
Finally, take your kids at home or employees at work through lessons on fire safety. Never assume that it is common sense to know what to do during a fire tragedy. The lessons can help save a life and even property.